BOSTON - Dominic DiMaggio, the bespectacled Boston Red Sox center fielder who made his own mark on the major leagues despite playing in the shadow of Hall of Fame brother Joe and teammate Ted Williams, died early Friday at his Massachusetts home.
DiMaggio, 92, died at about 1 a.m. with the Red Sox TV replay of Thursday night's victory over Cleveland on in the background, said his son, Dominic Paul. "He was a Red Sox fan until the end," his son said.
DiMaggio had been battling pneumonia, the Red Sox said in a statement.
DiMaggio was a seven-time All Star and .298 career hitter who still holds the record for the longest consecutive game hitting streak in Red Sox history. Known as the "Little Professor" because of his eyeglasses and 5-9, 168-pound frame, DiMaggio hit safely in 34 consecutive games in 1949.
It was his big brother Joe who caught a sinking, eighth-inning liner on Aug. 9 to end the streak. Joe DiMaggio set the major league record with a 56-game hitting streak with the Yankees in 1941.
Dom DiMaggio served three years in the Navy during WWII and went into business after baseball. A math whiz, he loved to play the stock market.
"That was his passion," his son said. "He'd watch the stock ticker all day and the Red Sox all night."
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